Pea + Peanut Salad

This is one of those "you have to try it before you decide" recipes. It sounds weird; I was skeptical at first as well. But once I tried it, I was sold. It's sweet and crunchy, savory and creamy, all at the same time.

Pea & Peanut Salad

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 lb frozen peas, thawed
1 lb Spanish or cocktail peanuts

In a bowl, combine everything except the peas and peanuts. Mix well. Gently stir in the peas and peanuts, ensuring everything is coated well. Chill at least one hour before serving.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars - a nice, different side dish. I served it with smoked sausage and noodles. As a bonus, my two-year old scarfed it down!

Reese Cup Brownie Bites

Reese Cup Brownie Bites

Ingredients:

1 box of Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix (plus ingredients as the box indicates)

36 Mini Reese Cups

Mini muffin tin liners

Mix the brownie mix as instructed on the box. I prefer to only use one egg for a fudgier brownie. Place liners into cupcake pan. Place approximately 1/2 tsp onto the bottom of each liner. This will prevent the Reese cup from getting hard on the bottom. Center Reese cups into the liners on top of the brownie mix.

Cover the Reese cup with approximately 1 tbsp of brownie batter. I use the small scoop from Pampered Chef for easy measuring. Make sure all sides of the Reese cup are covered with brownie batter to prevent the Reese cup from burning.

 Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes

before removing from cupcake pan.

 I chose to give mine a little flare and frost with Peanut Butter Fluff. I used the Pampered Chef Easy Decorator to make little puffs on top.

Enjoy! Happy 4th of July!

Fruit Pizza

Fruit Pizza

My friend Jessica made this today. It's beautiful!

She was kind enough to share the recipe! Thanks, Jessica!

1 (18 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed (Jessica substituted Marshmallow Fluff)

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1/2 cup white sugar

1 pinch salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slice cookie dough and arrange on greased pizza pan, overlapping edges. Press dough flat into pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool.
2. In a large bowl, soften cream cheese, then fold in the marshmallow fluff. Spread over cooled crust. You can chill for a while at this point, or continue by arranging the fruit.
3. Begin with strawberries, sliced in half. Arrange in a circle around the outside edge. Continue with fruit of your choice, working towards the middle. If bananas are used, dip them in lemon juice so they don't darken. Then make a sauce to spoon over fruit.
4. In a saucepan, combine sugar, salt, corn starch, orange juice, lemon juice and water. Cook and stir over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat, and add grated orange rind. Allow to cool, but not set up. Spoon over fruit. Chill for two hours, then cut into wedges and serve.               

I cannot wait to make this! Maybe I will go blueberry/strawberry picking this weekend! Thanks for sharing, Jessica!

Yummy Potato Casserole

Potato Casserole

1 package (30oz) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (I used 1 cup cheddar and 1 cup of hot pepper cheese)
1/4 c. chopped onion
2 c. sour cream
1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 c. butter, melted and divided
2 c. French's Fried Onions
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

In a large bowl, combine the hash browns, cheese, onion, green peppers, salt and pepper. In another bowl, combine sour cream, soup and 1/4 of the melted butter. Pour over potato mixture and mix gently. Pour into a greased 3 qt. baking dish. Toss French's Fried Onions in the remaining melted butter and sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes.

This is great for potlucks, dinner parties and holidays.

Yummy Factor: 5 stars!

BBQ Kielbasa

I apologize for not having a picture of these. I assure you, they are excellent.

BBQ Kielbasa Appetizers

2 lbs of Kielbasa, cut into 1/2 inch pieces, cooked and slightly browned
1- 18oz bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. Dijon Mustard
1 beer

In a large saucepan, bring beer, sugar, BBQ sauce and mustard to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes and add cooked kielbasa. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes until sauce is glazey.

Rating: Well, since these disappeared so quickly that I could not get a picture, I would say they are pretty good. 5 stars for sure!

Salsa

Salsa and Margaritas are a summer staple around these parts. This is a fresh salsa recipe that's easy to make. Thanks for sharing Michelle!

Salsa:

6 Roma Tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. lime juice
3 cloves of garlic, minced
salt to taste
pepper to taste
chili powder to taste ( I used 1/2 tsp.)

Mix together in a medium bowl, chill and serve!

Helpful hint: Kevin and I love our Vidalia Onion Chopper. This makes dicing these vegetables effortless. It's well worth the $20.

Peanut Butter Fluff

Amy will testify that this Peanut Butter Fluff, or Fluff as she calls it, is the best thing since sliced bread. It's amazingly easy to make, it makes a great frosting for fudge brownies or just eat it with pretzels or graham cracker sticks like we love to do. This is a staple for get togethers. It's sinfully delicious.

Peanut Butter Fluff

Ingredients:

1 tub of Marshmallow Fluff
1 c. Jif Creamy Peanut Butter (heaping)
1/4 c. milk

In a large bowl, mix ingredients with mixer until fluffy. Serve with graham cracker sticks or pretzels. Try not to eat the whole bowl, I dare you.

Rating: Fluff speaks for itself, but for this blogs sake I give it a 10!

Flourless Peanut Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are delicious. I have never made a flourless cookie before. They are so quick and easy.

Flourless Peanut Chocolate Chip Cookies
(courtesy of Martha Stewart Everyday magazine)

Ingredients:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg (lightly beaten)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 large egg (lightly beaten), 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined. Stir in 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts. With moistened hands, roll dough, about 1 heaping tablespoon at a time, into balls. Place 2 inches apart on two baking sheets. Bake until cookies are golden and puffed, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

Cheesy Jalapeno Dip

This cheesy dip has a slight kick! It's great for pot lucks and parties!

Cheesy Jalapeno Dip

Ingredients:
1 c. Hellman's Mayo
1 c. sour cream
2 1/2 c. finely shredded cheddar cheese
5 jalapeno peppers, chopped into small pieces
1 medium onion-finely chopped
5 dashes of Red Hot
2 small cloves of garlic-pressed

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients. Chill for 2 hours before serving. Served great with tortilla chips, crackers, pita chips or bagel chips.

Cocktail Meatballs - Only 3 yummy ingredients!

These have been around forever, but they are so easy and so yummy, how could I not include them here?

Cocktail Meatballs

1 bag of frozen pre-made meatballs
1 large jar of grape jelly
2 jars of chili sauce

Mix all ingredients in a slowcooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Stir well before serving.

That's it! So easy!

Snicker Salad-Oh Yum!

Trick or Treat! This sure is a delicious treat! This is an old fall party favorite!

Amy, this is for you! I bet this will make you come and visit!

Snicker Salad
(or Apple Salad if you are going to Weight Watchers!)

6-8 Granny Smith Apples-cut into bite size pieces
6-8 Snickers Bars-cut into bite size pieces
1 can of salted Planters Peanuts
1 lg. tub of Cool Whip

In a large bowl, combine Snickers, peanuts, apples (cut the apples last to prevent browning) and Cool Whip. Mix thoroughly and chill for 2 hours before serving.

Meal Rating: 10 out of 5 stars! Yummy deliciousness!

Guinness Cupcakes - Beware, obscene amounts of yumminess inside!

Rich, moist, chocolate-y, Guinnessy goodness. These are obscenely yummy and addictive enough to quite possibly require an intervention.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Celebrations.com.

Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Guinness Vanilla-Bean Buttercream Frosting
(As written, the recipe makes 48 cupcakes.)

Cupcakes

2 Cup(s) Guinness Extra Stout (basically works out to one can)
3 Sticks Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 Cup(s) Unsweetened Chocolate Chunks (12 oz.)
4 Cup(s) All Purpose Flour
4 Cup(s) Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
4 Large Eggs
1 1/2 Cup(s) Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Bring stout and butter to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Do not boil.

Add unsweetened chocolate chunks to hot stout/butter mixture. Whisk until chocolate melts. Turn heat off and let cool.

Add sugar to chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Sift flour, baking soda and salt.

In a stand-alone mixer with a whisk attachment, combine the eggs and sour cream on medium speed. Add stout-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and combine on medium-low speed until encorporated.

Slowly add flour mixture in thirds to chocolate mixture with whisk attachment. Scrape the sides with your whisk to make sure you get all the dry ingredients combined.

Place cupcake papers in pan and divide batter into cups evenly. Fill about 2/3 of the cup.

Bake for 18-24 minutes or until the tops are firm to the touch, and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the cupcake.

Let cool on wire rack before frosting.

Frosting
2 Cup(s) Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
5 Cup(s) Sifted Powder Sugar
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Whole Scraped Vanilla Bean (expensive but worth it - don't skip!!!)
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 Cup(s) Guinness Extra Stout

In a sauce pan, simmer Guinness on low heat for 10-15 min, until it stout becomes reduced and thicker in consistency. Similar to a syrup. *Tip: keep your eye on the store, so stout does not over cook. Let cool.

In a stand alone mixer, cream your butter for 1 minute

Slowly add the powder sugar in thirds, alternating with a little milk each time till mixture is creamy. Add scraped vanilla bean and vanilla extract.

Slowly add reduced Guinness a little at a time. Taste test to desired flavor. You may not use all the Guinness reduction.

Place buttercream in a piping bag with a #848 french star tip, frost cupcakes and enjoy!

Hot and Yummy Buffalo Chicken Dip!

This recipe and photo are courtesy of NunPunch via allrecipes.com. This recipe is easy, great and a party favorite!

Hot and Yummy Buffalo Chicken Dip

2-10oz cans of Tyson All White Chicken Breast (drained and rinsed!)
2-blocks of Cream Cheese
1 c. ranch dressing
3/4 c. hot sauce (Frank's Red Hot)
1 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar Cheese

In a medium crock pot, add chicken and red hot on the highest setting. Mix together. Add cream cheese, ranch and cheddar cheese. Let it heat, stirring often. Once hot and all the cheese is melted, turn the temperature down to low and serve with chips and celery stalks.

Enjoy!

Meal Rating: 5 out of 5 stars! If you like it hot, then this recipe is great for you.

Cherry Yum Fluff!

Sorry it's been so long since Amy and I posted anything. I have to be honest, I just have not been cooking. I wish I had worthy excuses like having 2 kids under 2 like Amy, but I don't.

This recipe is courtesy of Chris and Lisa Bors! Thanks for sharing with me.

Cherry Yum Fluff

1 large tub of Cool Whip
1 can of cherry pie filling
1 can of crushed pineapple
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
2 sliced bananas
chopped walnuts (optional)

Mix all of the ingredients together except bananas with an electric mixer. Slice and fold in bananas.

Chill and serve.

Dessert Rating: 5 out of 5. It's easy, you can add any fruit you have laying around and it's still good. Great for cookouts!

Yummy Toffee Bars!

These taste just like Heath Bars. They are usually gone in 2.2 nanoseconds.


Toffee Bars

Ingredients:

1 c. butter (not margarine!
1 c. dark brown sugar
saltine crackers
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
1 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400.

Line cookie sheet with unbroken Saltine Crackers.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and dark brown sugar on low. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes constantly stirring to prevent burning. Immediately pour sugar mixture over saltine crackers and place in oven for 4-5 minutes.

Once removed from the oven, sprinkle chocolate chips over the crackers. Let sit for 5 minutes. Spread melted chips evenly over the crackers. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts (optional). Chill in refrigerator or let sit overnight before serving.

Meal Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. They speak for themselves.

7 (Yummy!) Layer Salad

This delicious summertime favorite salad is easy to make. You can substitute any of the layers for a change. I have had this with celery, peppers, snap peas, broccoli and egg (you will never have mine with egg!). You can also leave off the bacon for the vegetarians in your life!

7 Layer Salad

Ingredients:

1 large head of iceberg lettuce-rinsed and chopped
1/2 bag of shredded carrots or 2 large carrots shredded
1/2 red small red onion-diced
1/2 c. frozen peas
2 c. Hellman's Mayo (no Miracle Whip!)
3 tbsp. sugar
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
8 strips of bacon

Cover the bottom of your dish (approx. 4x8) with the lettuce. This layer should be approx. 1 inch thick. Layer carrots, peas and onion on top of the lettuce. In a large measuring cup, mix mayo and sugar together. Mix until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over the salad. Cover dressing with cheese. Crumble bacon on top of the cheese. Refrigerate until serving.


Meal rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. This is a crowd pleaser, but I took off a 1/2 star due to the cost. The veggies and the bacon can get expensive if you have to make this for a large group of people. This is best if serving 8-10 people. Enjoy!

p.s. Happy Birthday Madison and Chris Bors. Hope you like this salad (and your presents!)

Deliciously Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I entered (but did not win) this recipe into the annual Christmas Cookie Contest by Ladies Home Journal. I did, proudly, rank 24th out of the top 100 entries. Enjoy!

My Not-So-Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingrediants:

2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 c. salted butter (not margarine!)
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, melt butter. Add brown sugar and whisk. Yes, whisk. These cookies are mixed using elbow grease! Add vanilla and egg. Whisk thoroughly. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder in another bowl. Add 1/2 of the flour mixture and whisk. Wash your hands and dry. Add the other half of the flour mixture and mix by hand. The dough is a stickier dough. Add the chocolate chips. Mix thoroughly.

Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper (this will keep your cookies soft for days!). Roll dough into balls and bake for 8-9 minutes. Be careful not to over bake. This cookie is should be a dark blonde color not brown.
Let cool for 5 minutes before moving from the cookie sheet.

Meal Rating: 5 out of 5 stars! People request these all the time. They are a sure hit!

Yummy Summertime Veggie Pizza

I decided this would be my very first recipe post for 2 reasons. 1. All my veggies are ready to be picked from the garden. It's the perfect time to make this. 2. I am tired of writing it down for my co-workers.

Veggie Dip:

2 c. Sour Cream
2 c. Real Mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip!)
4 tsp. dill weed
2 tsp. Accent Salt
2 tsp. Beau Monde (by Island Spice)
2 tsp. Minced Onion
Mix together in a medium bowl and chill for 1 hour. If you are making this just for a dip, chill for 2 hours.

Veggie Pizza:

2 rolls of Pillsbury Butter Tastin' Crescent Rolls
2 c. Fancy Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 carrots shredded
1 red onion-chopped
1 green pepper-chopped
1 red pepper-chopped
1 medium stalk of broccoli-chopped

Lightly spray one large cookie sheet with Pam. Roll out both crescent rolls and piece together until the entire sheet is covered. Bake as directed on the Pillsbury Crescent rolls package or until a light golden brown. Let cool for 20 minutes.

Spread a generous amount of the Veggie Dip over the crust. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the dip. Add the shredded carrots, chopped onion, peppers and broccoli. Chill for 1 hour.

Cut into squares and enjoy! You will have some dip leftover so cute some fresh veggies and have a healthy snack.

Appetizer Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. This is an easy potluck appetizer that is a crowd pleaser!